News & Policy

PBGC Updates Finding a Lost Pension

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASEApril 23, 2013

WASHINGTON — The Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation today released an update of Finding a Lost Pension, a guide for people who think they have a pension, but who cannot find their pension plan or former employer to begin receiving their benefits.

The booklet, produced in partnership with the Gerontology Institute of the University of Massachusetts Boston, includes search tips from professional pension counselors as well as resources that a searcher can turn to for more extensive help.

"A lot of people have been visiting our Finding an Unclaimed Pension webpage," said Public Affairs Director J. Jioni Palmer. "But sometimes finding a pension is harder."

"This booklet helps you if you think you have a pension, but the employer and/or pension plan is hard to find. The plan may have been merged into another plan, the employer may have gone out of business — any number of things may have happened. This booklet helps you do your own detective work to find a lost pension, and points you to professionals who can help."

The booklet was last updated in 2009.

About PBGC

PBGC protects the pension benefits of more than 40 million Americans in private-sector pension plans. The agency is directly responsible for paying the benefits of more than 1.5 million people in failed pension plans. PBGC receives no taxpayer dollars and never has. Its operations are financed by insurance premiums and with assets and recoveries from failed plans. For more information, visit PBGC.gov.